堆肥101：园艺用厨房废料再利用指南

5九月 2018

People are now more environmentally conscious than ever before. But, we still have a long way to go when it comes to reducing waste and minimizing our impact on the earth.

One of the keys to reducing one’s carbon footprint is making composting a priority. Currently,72%的美国人do not compost. However, 67 percent of those people say they would be willing to compost if it were easy and convenient.

如果你是这个小组的一员，继续阅读。下面解释的是你需要知道的一切开始堆肥。

What is Composting?

在进入如何在家堆肥的细节，让我们解释它是什么，为什么它是重要的。

堆肥是一种材料，当添加到土壤中，可以帮助植物生长。许多通常会被扔掉的东西，包括庭院垃圾和食物残渣，都是很好的堆肥。

Adding these materials to a compost bin or pile helps keep them out of landfills. As a result, the release of dangerous温室气体就像甲烷减少了一样。

堆肥的好处

In addition to reducing waste, there are several other benefits of composting, including the following:

改善土壤健康
病虫害防治
Reduced need for chemical fertilizers
Increased production of beneficial fungi and bacteria (which leads to more nutrient-rich soil)

正如你所看到的，有很多理由让堆肥成为优先事项。但是，有多难，你是怎么开始的？

如何开始

Starting to compost might seem daunting at first, but it’s actually quite simple. If you follow these steps, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a composting expert.

1.Get a Compost Bin

首先，你需要一个容器来装堆肥。你的结构不需要特别花哨。它的目的很简单，就是把你所有的成分放在一起，这样细菌就能有效地分解植物物质。

堆肥箱可分为两类：固定式和旋转式。不管你用哪种类型的堆肥箱，你都需要把里面的东西翻过来。这有助于结合材料，并允许氧气到达堆肥。

Stationary compost bins can simply be wooden crates or well-ventilated cages. Plastic bins are also helpful since they retain more heat. Rotating compost bins are designed to be turned more easily and can expedite the decomposition process.

When you use a rotating compost bin, the process usually takes just a few weeks. With a stationary bin, you’re looking at a few months or years.

如果你想用你的堆肥完成你的花园蔓延，一个旋转垃圾箱可能是更有益的。如果你产生大量食物或庭院垃圾，旋转垃圾箱也会很好。

把你的箱子放在正确的地方

无论您使用哪种类型的本,你需要to make sure you’re storing it in the right place. Stationary bins to best when they’re stored in a hot place that receives a lot of direct sunlight. This helps speed up the decomposition process.

在阳光直射下放置旋转垃圾箱也有好处。但是，它们的位置并不是那么重要，因为每次打开垃圾箱时，都会帮助完成这个过程。

Create the Right Ingredient Mix

一个标准的堆肥堆应该包含棕色物质和绿色物质的混合物。

Brown matter includes things like wood chips, newspaper, and dry leaves. Green matter includes food waste and grass clippings.

如果你有一个户外堆肥箱,最好没有to include animal products like meat, fish, or dairy. These are more likely to attract pests.

If you want to give your compost pile a jump start, there are lots of activators you can buy to add to your pile. These tools will speed up the decomposition process and help you see results sooner.

Maintain Your Compost Pile

Once you’ve started your compost pile, there’s not much maintenance required. However, you will need to take care of some basic chores to help the process along.

最重要的保养技巧是确保你经常转动桩。根据你所拥有的垃圾箱的类型，你要么需要旋转垃圾箱本身，要么使用干草叉或类似的工具来旋转垃圾箱的内容物。

Turn your compost about once every 1-2 weeks to blend the materials and make sure they’re working together properly.

Check to make sure the mixture is damp, too. This will ensure the decomposition process is working properly.

你的堆肥将准备在你的花园使用时，它的黑暗和易碎，闻起来像新鲜的土壤。

常见堆肥错误

启动一个堆肥箱是一个简单的方法make your home more eco-friendly.It’s hard to actually mess up a compost bin, but avoiding these common mistakes will help you get off to a better start.

避免一开始就太小：你需要一个合适的材料分解过程有效地工作数量。
如果你没有产生大量的垃圾或者没有足够的空间，但是一个专门为小空间设计的堆肥箱。
Keep your compost pile moist: If your material seems dry, simply add some water too it as you’re turning it.
Use a variety of materials: For the best compost, make sure you’re using all kinds of materials; this will help your plants develop better pest and disease resistance.

Finally, don’t let a need for perfection stop you from trying to compost. Remember, it’s not as intimidating as it might seem.

Even if you make a few mistakes along the way, you’ll still be making an effort to help the environment. At the end of the day, that’s all that really matters.